


A Gentleman and a Lady

by Ren



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-27
Updated: 2010-12-27
Packaged: 2017-10-14 03:42:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/144961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ren/pseuds/Ren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Layton and Claire's date doesn't go exactly as planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Gentleman and a Lady

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [**spunkywulf**](http://spunkywulf.livejournal.com/) for the [**layton_exchange**](http://community.livejournal.com/layton_exchange/). I don't know much about her taste in fanfiction but I was too awed by [her talent](http://community.livejournal.com/layton_exchange/9393.html) to give her some of my crappy art.

When she'd first met him, Claire had tried to imagine how it would be to date Hershel Layton. There would be flowers, a candlelit table in a nice restaurant, maybe a violin playing in the background. They'd talk a bit about their work or a common friend, then discuss the latest book they'd both read.

Claire would mention a film she'd have liked to see and they would make plans to watch it together on the next weekend. Hershel would remember a puzzle about cinemas or flowers that he absolutely needed to tell Claire about, and he'd give her his brightest smile when she solved it. After dinner they'd walk back to the car arm in arm, taking the long route to enjoy the moonlit view of the river.

It's quite an accurate description of their current date, except for the part where they're not as much strolling as running away from the two henchmen that had suddenly showed up while they were finishing their crème brulée and demanded that Hershel hand over some map.

Claire is glad she always wears sensible heels, otherwise she'd have no way of keeping up with Hershel's long strides. He keeps looking over his shoulder to check on her and when she's in danger of falling too far behind he grabs her hand and silently urges her forward.

She wants to tell him to go, she's only slowing him down and this map is clearly important, but she hasn't got enough breath to speak. Besides she knows his reply already: a gentleman would never abandon a lady. Hershel's hand on hers is large and warm and oddly reassuring despite the danger of their present situation. It's almost ridiculous how even now Claire can't stop thinking about her huge crush on this man.

Finally they reach Hershel's car. He's got the keys in one hand already, but he lets go of Claire to unlock the door. She has no time to mourn the loss of contact since the two gorillas are looming closer and closer. As soon as Hershel opens his door she jumps into the car and straps the seatbelt on. She's got a feeling that this is going to be a bumpy ride.

Hershel turns the keys in the ignition and they're off with quite a turn of speed for such an old car.  
When the people who'd been chasing them have disappeared from the rear view mirror, he turns to Claire and apologizes about their date having been cut short in such an abrupt fashion. He sounds so contrite that Claire is tempted to tell him that she doesn't mind, that she actually likes the thrill of being part of one of his adventures, even if only for a few minutes.

It's really surprising how often Hershel, who's just an archaeologist, gets involved with car chases, secret maps, mysterious foreigners and who knows what else. He always minimizes his involvement in all these adventures but Claire has been saving the newspaper scraps and wondering how it would feel to be at Hershel's side at those times.

She thinks it's sweet that Hershel tries not to get her involved with his job, because it can be dangerous and a gentleman would never intentionally put a lady in harm's way. But Claire is not a damsel in distress and she'd be more than ready to share the risks. She smiles at Hershel over the gear stick and thinks maybe one day, maybe after the machine is finished and she can take a sabbatical. Maybe then she and Hershel will have one great adventure together.


End file.
